Through Dangers Untold
by Twylise
Summary: Hokuto wishes Subaru away and now has to solve a magical labyrinth within 13 hours to save him. *CHAPTER 3. Added...Finally*
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing….Not Tokyo Babylon, which is CLAMP's nor The Labyrinth which belongs to Jim Henson. I've also used some text from a transcript of the Labyrinth which I found at http://www.magitech.com/~cruiser1/labyrnth/movie.htm. 

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Through dangers untold 

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Prologue(By Twylise)

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"Give me the child." She stood proudly, back straight, chin held high aloft. Her emerald eyes shone with courage and that playful, puckish spark. 

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond your maboroshi to take back the child that you have stolen." She tossed her head, further tousling her short jet-black hair and pointed straight ahead with a smug grin, "For my will is as strong as yours. My kingdom as great…"

She faltered. Fumbled. Her confident smirk vanishing from her youthful face. "For my will is as strong as your's," she mumbled. "…My kingdom as great?" She furiously stomped one high-heel clad foot onto the packed soil and crossed her arms over her chest. "Damn! I can never remember that line…."

Unnoticed by the young girl, high up and hidden amongst the blossom-laden braches of a nearby Sakura tree, someone was watching. Bright, predatorily eyes that focused intently on the teenage figure below. Observing the wide, energetic gestures, the confident, feminine voice….And that rather battered, old, leather bound book she was holding in her hands. On the cover of which the words, "The Labyrinth" were scrawled in elegant gold lettering. 

He hopped from one clawed talon to another and stretched his coal black wings, allowing the sun to shine along the glossy feathers. So it seemed he had found a new plaything. If this form had provided him with the luxury of lips he would have smirked. This girl, who was filled with beauty and life and cheer, would hopefully provide Seishirou with what he was constantly hunting for; a new victim and…Here those eyes glinted with icy amusement….and perhaps some entertainment as well.

"OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!!!!!" Oblivious to the scheming going on above her, Hokuto lifted a hand to her mouth and started to cackle with enough force and volume to nearly send her would be nemesis flying out of his tree. A giant sweatdrop appeared at Seishirou's temple…And doubled in size as the cackling grew even louder, such that it resembled a banshee like screech. "Of course! Now I remember!" 

Hokuto placed one satin gloved hand on her hip while the other flashed a victory sigh to the almost empty park that surround her, "You have no power over me!" The few people who were still in Ueno park at this hour turned to stare, wondering who this strange, obnoxious girl was but she paid them no heed. 

For the first and not the last time considering the events that were soon to follow, Seishirou wondered if maybe….Just maybe…He was making mistake. 

******* Well….Ok so it wasn't spectacular or anything…But it was readable wasn't it? I'd really appreciate comments, especially constructive criticism. ~Sigh~ And yes I know Seishirou got kinda OOC at the end there, with the sweat dropping and the comment about making the mistake. Heck he'd probably enjoy the challenge of biting off more then he could chew. But I couldn't make myself get rid of it once it was written…. 


	2. Chapter 1

Notes: Set in an AU and a crossover (sorta) with the Labyrinth. Actually the way things are going in my mind I might chuck in a few other random CLAMP characters as well.   
Disclaimer: I own nothing...Not Tokyo Babylon, which is CLAMP's nor The Labyrinth which belongs to Jim Henson. I've also used some text from a transcript of the Labyrinth which I found at http://www.magitech.com/~cruiser1/labyrnth/movie.htm. The lyrics in the story are also from the movie.  


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Through Dangers Untold

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CHAPTER 1. (By Twylise)

"Ayaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hokuto cried out at the top of her lungs, lifting up the hem of the ridiculously long, medieval style dress she was wearing, as she sprinted down the road after a taxi. "I'm so late! Obaasan is going to _kill _me!" Why hadn't she done the sensible thing and skipped the trip to Ueno Park in favour of going to the station earlier and catching and catching a morning train to Kyoto? It was a good hour and a half after the time her grandmother had requested the twins' presence at the main household and Hokuto _still _needed to get a hold of a taxi. 

She could almost hear the old hag's lecture in her mind. It wasn't that Hokuto didn't love her grandmother, it was just that the elderly woman was so old fashioned and _strict _as opposed to Hokuto's wilder, more liberal nature, that the two tended to clash whenever they came into contact too often. The fact that they both had such dominating personalities didn't help the situation either. So it was with great relief that Hokuto and her brother Subaru, the clan head had been able to move to Tokyo when they were old enough. 

Now they generally saw their grandmother once a month or so, although Subaru was sometimes came to see her a few extra times because of his job. Although this was the first time that Lady Sumeragi had requested that _both _of the twins come, on such short notice. It made Hokuto wonder what this visit could be about…

Subaru _had _said that their grandmother had sounded curiously anxious over the phone. That couldn't be good; trivial things did not rile the Lady Sumeragi. 

Great. Hokuto cursed to herself. _If this is that important, she'll be even grouchier when I waltz in a few hours late._

After what seemed like an eternity Hokuto managed to finally flag down a taxi and gratefully flopped down into the seat beside the driver while ranting off directions to the Sumeragi estate. With a little luck she'd arrive before her grandmother decided that she'd been kidnapped and decided to call the police. 

__

//It's only forever

Not long at all

Lost and lonely

No one can blame you

For walking away

But too much rejection, Uh-huh

No love injection, no

Life can be easy,

It's not always swell

Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl

Cause it hurts like hell//

"This behaviour is unacceptable Hokuto-san! The time I expected you to be here passed hours ago," The Lady Sumeragi's reaction to Hokuto's arrival was just as bad as she had feared. She had spent at least half an hour ranting at her granddaughter with out even allowing the girl enough time to get a word, let alone an excuse in. Quite a feat, considering this was Hokuto. 

Finally it seemed like the Twelfth head of the Sumeragi family was simmering down and Hokuto tried to explain herself. She had spent the entire trip on the train and half the time in the taxi, thinking up a credible excuse, one that would be good enough for her grandmother. "Well you see I was just about to board the train when..."

"It won't work Hokuto-san," Her grandmother's tone was cold, it was time's like these that Hokuto wished the matriarch would loose her temper when she was angry rather than just freezing up like this. 

"I won't accept any excuse. Your brother," From his position beside her, Hokuto could sense Subaru tense up and begin to fiddle nervously. "Was able to make it here in good time even though he had a job today. I don't see why I should expect any less of you." 

The Lady Sumeragi calmly rose her glass of tea to her tips and took a minute sip, before sitting up even straighter and glaring down at her grand daughter, "Although maybe I should considering how irresponsible you've been of late Hokuto-san. I daresay I consider the clan quite fortunate that it was Subaru-san who was born with the stronger magic rather then you. I'd hate to think what chaos would ensue if the situation was different!"

Hokuto had been scolded, chided and chastised by her grandmother countless times but none of the things that the elderly lady had said had ever wounded her so deeply before. Hokuto had always known that Subaru was the more deserving of being clan head than she was, but still…to be told like that…

It really hurt.

"H-Hokuto…" She ignored Subaru's husky, troubled whisper. She didn't want to talk to him. Not now.

The Lady Sumeragi oblivious, or at least seeming so, to the conflict between the twins continued talking, "As I explained to Subaru-san while we were waiting for you to arrive, this matter is quite urgent. I did a fire reading yesterday," She hesitated, as if unwilling to tell the two teenagers more. 

Well Hokuto couldn't have that. Not after all she'd been through today. "And?"

The Lady Sumeragi snapped out of her silent, almost trancelike state and regained a good part of her bearing, "And the results were troubling to say the least. I saw one of you-I could not tell which, swept away by the _Sakura_."

A tense silence hung in the air…Which was quickly broken by Hokuto's wild laughter.

"Sakura! What in the world is so troubling about _sakura _of all things?!" Upon the glare she received from her grandmother, Hokuto tried to stifle her giggles into one pink lace; gloved hand but was unsuccessful. "I'm sorry oh, _honourable _grandmother but the idea of being attacked by flowers of all things is just ludicrous!"

But Subaru who had been practically silent for the entire conversation suddenly spoke up, "Grandmother, you don't believe that your vision refers to…" Worry caused Subaru's wide green eyes to grow even wider, "To the Sakurazukamori...Do you?"

The 12th Sumeragi clan head nodded solemnly, causing Subaru to gasp. Hokuto just stared at her two closest relatives dumbfounded. Was she the only _sensible_ person present?

"Come off it you two!" Hokuto stood up and placed her hands on her hips, to the surprise of both her brother and grandmother. "Surely you don't believe such nonsense! Really…A black onmyouji, living in a magical labyrinth who feeds people to a sakura tree! Complete hogwash! Fairytales! I was just reading a play about it today even!" She presented her copy of "The Labyrinth" with a flourish.

"Sit down Hokuto-san!" Her grandmother snapped, finally loosing her temper, "The Sakurazukamori is nothing to scoff at!"

Subaru turned to stare at his sister with large eyes, "It's true Hokuto-chan! The Sakurazukamori is real!" He drummed his fingers on his knees nervously as he explained, "He's a very powerful sorcerer who uses onmyoujitsu to protect Japan just like our family. In fact…The Sakurazukamori is the _flipside_ to the Sumeragi."

Hokuto rolled her eyes; "If the Sakurazukamori is just protecting Japan like we do…then why is he considered to be so scary?"

"Because," Subaru continued, "He protects Japan through death and blood. He kills people and gives the bodies to the Sakura, the source of his power, which feeds off them. It's legend that it's the blood of the Sakurazukamori's victims, which turn the petals of the Sakura blossoms pink. Apparently they're supposed to really be pure white, like snow.

But the Sakurazukamori was killing too many people, even innocents. He was growing too powerful, so much so that he was disturbing the balance between himself and the Sumeragi clan. It was one of our ancestors, Sumeragi Mitsu who sealed him into that other world of sorts, the "Underground" where he created the Labyrinth that your book refers to,"

"They sealed him away?" Hokuto frowned, "Wouldn't it have been easier to just kill him?"

Subaru shook his head fervently, making his hair look cutely tousled. _Subaru is always so damned cute. _Hokuto mused unhappily. _Even when you're trying to be mad at him. _

The Lady Sumeragi continued on from where her grandson left off, "They couldn't kill the Sakurazukamori because that would completely destroy the balance of Japan's magic and besides, he was still _far _too powerful."

"But by sealing him in the Underground," Subaru chimed in, "His access to victims was greatly reduced. Now he can only kill those who are offered up to him, usually by the government." At this point Subaru realised he had just interrupted his grandmother and made a hasty bow and apology, which was calmly dismissed. 

Hokuto was strangely silent, her eyes far off in thought as she cupped her chin in her palm. She looked up at her brother; "You seem to be very well informed about this Sakurazukamori fellow…."

Subaru blushed.

"Aha!" Hokuto smirked and snapped her fingers, "Now I remember! When we were little kids you used to think the Sakurazukamori lived under your bed! You always had to come into my bed because you couldn't fall asleep otherwise!"

Subaru reached shades of red that previously could only be reached by certain fruits and vegetables; particularly tomatoes and strawberries. "Well when grandmother first told me the story in one of our lessons, I misunderstood the term 'Underground' so I thought he lived under beds. And since the manor was so dark and creepy at night…Anyway I had to listen to the story a few more times and do some research before I felt safe in my room at night again," 

"I think you had the Sakurazukamori mixed up with the 'bogey man' Subaru-chan," 

"No, the bogey man is supposed to live in closets…."

Hokuto flopped back down onto her cushions and waved a finger in her younger brother's face, "Well they do have one thing in common…They're both not real!"

"Hokuto!" for once her grandmother forgot the polite, 'san' at the end. "You of all people should know that in such matters of magic and mysticism almost nothing is impossible. I think you've made enough of a mockery out of yourself for one evening. As punish for your insolence you'll be cut off from your bank account for the next four months,"

"But grandmother!"

"You can still afford the essentials like food and such and borrow from your brother if need be,"

"But what about clothes?" Hokuto's voice was filled with horror. To be cut off from her favourite pastime…

The Lady Sumeragi eyed her granddaughter's frilly, Gothic dress with obvious distaste, "I think you can manage for a few months. Really such outrageous clothes!" This was a common argument between the two. "They're not the kind of things a lady should wear. How will you ever find a husband if you go around like that, your loud manner most certainly cannot help matters either."

Hokuto's face grew even sourer…._ Why that old bat!_

"Ummm….G-grandmother." Subaru stammered, sensing the approaching fight, "It's getting late, Hokuto and I should probably leave before it gets to dark to travel. Thankyou for your warning" He bowed politely causing Hokuto to frown. _Jeez. Why does he always have to be such a 'good little boy' all the time? Would it kill him to grow a backbone and stand up to grandmother for a change?_

"Yes, you two should go." The lady Sumeragi dismissed them regally, "But be careful and remember what I've just told you. Subaru?"

"Yes?"

"I don't want you doing any work until we can find out what the Sakurazukamori is up to,"

"Hai, grandmother."

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//No one can blame you

For walking away

But too much rejection, uh huh

No love injection, no, no

Life can be easy

It's not always swell

Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl

'Cause it hurts like hell

Hurts like hell

Hurts like hell

Hurts like hell//

"H-Hokuto?" For the fifth time that evening, Subaru's hesitant voice wavered through the front door of his sister's apartment accompanied by a gentle knocking.

From her position, flopped stomach down on her living room couch re-reading "the Labyrinth", Hokuto grimaced. _Just go away Subaru…I do love you but I don't want to deal with you right now. The meeting with Grandmother was a disaster, I know that…I just don't want to talk about it!_

The trip back from Kyoto had been incredibly tense. Their grandmother had offered to allow the twins to stay over night at the estate but Hokuto didn't think she could stand to be there a moment longer. It may have been where she had grown up but it certainly didn't feel like home to her. Especially after the fight she had with her grandmother. It seemed that she was always painted as the 'black sheep' of the family. The lesser of the two siblings. Well realistically how was she supposed to compete with Subaru who was as close to an angel as a person could get? It didn't seem very fair at all. 

Subaru had tried to talk it over with her, first on the ride home (she'd listened to her headphones) and now he had been knocking on her door every ten minutes or so and didn't seem to be letting up. Up until now Hokuto had just ignored him. She had started to go over 'the Labyrinth' again with her renewed knowledge of the Sakurazukamori. It was actually quite interesting.

__

I wonder…Subaru said that the Sakurazukamori could only take the victims that were offered up to him? 

How would they do that?

A special ceremony of sacrifice? 

Hokuto had to laugh at the image that came into her mind then; a bunch of tie wearing, middle-aged, government officials, dancing around a bon fire with mystical charms and casting spells. 

"Please Hokuto…." _You just don't give up do you? _With a reluctant sigh, Hokuto picked herself up and lumbered over to thew front door and let her brother in. 

"What is it?" 

"I-I'm sorry about what happened at grandmother's today…You know she doesn't really mean it…about-"

"Stop it!" 

Surprised, Subaru trailed off in mid-sentence. He looked at his sister with clear innocent eyes. Not knowing what he had done wrong.

He hadn't done _anything _wrong, that was the whole point.

"Just shut up!" Hokuto yelled, "Don't say sorry! There's nothing for you to be sorry about!" Subaru stared at her dumbstruck. "Oh why do you have to be so…. So…."

Hokuto pointed at her brother angrily; "Oh I wish the Sakurazukamori would take you away! _Right now!" _

Hokuto clamped her hands over her mouth in horror as she realised what she had done; watching Subaru's eyes fill with hurt and unshed tears.

__

Oh God…

I might have well have said your worthless or I don't love you.

I'm sorry Subaru.

Hokuto sobbed and ran forward to embrace her younger brother.

But then the lights went out…

And she stumbled as her arms wrapped around the empty air where Subaru should have been standing.


	3. Chapter 2

Notes: Set in an AU and a crossover (sorta) with the Labyrinth. Actually the way things are going in my mind I might chuck in a few other random CLAMP characters as well.   
Disclaimer: I own nothing...Not Tokyo Babylon, which is CLAMP's nor The Labyrinth which belongs to Jim Henson. I've also used some text from a transcript of the Labyrinth which I found at http://www.magitech.com/~cruiser1/labyrnth/movie.htm. The lyrics in the story are also from the movie.  


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Through Dangers Untold

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CHAPTER 2. (By Twylise)

For a moment Hokuto just stood in the darkness of her living room, with only the sounds of her breathing and heartbreak breaking the heavy silence. It weighed down on her making her chest feel as tight as a knot. Making it difficult to breathe, there was an odd stiflingly sweet fragrance in the air that she couldn't quite but a name too. Eventually she just couldn't take the silence any longer.

"SUBARU!!! SUBARU!!!" Hokuto screamed louder then she had ever screamed before in her entire life. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

No answer.

Hokuto's voice was starting to crack, "THIS ISN'T FUNNY SUBARU! COME OUT HERE NOW!"

Her commonsense was fully aware of the fact that Subaru wasn't joking with her. Of course Subaru may very well know some form of spell which would make it possible for him to just vanish into thin air without a trace as well as taking out the apartment's electricity at the same time. But he certainly wasn't the sort of person to play that mean kind of trick on his older sister.

Even if she had just wished him away to the Sakurazukamori. 

A horrid realisation suddenly seared through Hokuto as she remembered the statement that she had made mere moments ago, even although in her stunned state it could have just as easily been years, asking the Sakurazukamori to take Subaru away from her. 

And what _was _that smell?

__

Don't be silly, she argued with herself, _It was just a cheesy, melodramatic line from an old book you found in the library. It couldn't have any power too it…_

Could it?

But then how could she explain the lights going out or…or….

Her throat was killing her but she found herself crying out again, "SUBARU!!!" 

~Ahem,~ The low, rich voice that came to Hokuto wasn't spoken but rather _thought_, appearing in her mind without any warning. Still the sixteen-year-old snapped her head in all directions, searching for its source.

~Since you've been screaming like that for the last few minutes one can safely assume that you're brother won't be appearing any time in the near future. So if it's no difference to you can you be oh-so kind as to let me in?~

Hokuto jumped two feet into the air, (not a nearly as daring a task as it seemed considering her martial arts training) when she turned around and saw, hovering just outside the balcony window a large dark bird. A falcon. It's feathers made a soft rustling sound as it's flapping wings continuously brushed against the glass. The bird turned its head to the side to contemplate her with one single golden eye. 

~Yes. This window over here. Come now Hokuto-chan. It's not polite to keep company waiting.~ 

Without even realising it Hokuto had crossed the living room floor to the window, unlocked the latch and let the falcon in. It flew, soundlessly into the apartment before vanishing in a swirl of sakura. As a wave of the blossoms blew into Hokuto's face she realised that it was _that_ scent; the scent of cherry blossoms that she hadn't been able to grasp earlier. She turned around and to glance at the spot where she and Subaru had been standing just before he had disappeared.

There was a handful of the pink flowers there as well. 

Hokuto swallowed nervously, _So that means that Subaru was really taken away by the…_

"Ah. So much better. It was really too cold and wet a night to be spent outdoors. Don't you agree Hokuto-chan?"

The girl spun around on the balls of her feet to find herself face to face with the legendary Sakurazukamori himself. 

He was tall and _very_ good looking in a smooth, dangerous way; a long face, with clean, masculine features, dark hair that was just slightly wavy and an extremely seductive, coldly amused smile. The assassin was wearing an elegant and obviously very expensive black suit with a matching black trench coat worn on top of it. .

And then there was _those _eyes. The first was liquid gold and honey, brown filled with cold fire and arrogance. The other eye was a cloudy shade of white. Blind but still just as beautiful as it's mate.

Those eyes were right on Hokuto, looking at her as if they good read her right to her very soul. He was Fear and Death, wearing the face and form of a man. She took a shuddering breather and opened her mouth to speak…

"I thought the Sakurazukamori was supposed to wear tight *leather pants and fancy, poet's shirts." Hokuto pondered tilting her head to one side.

The assassin chuckled, "My deepest regrets, but I couldn't find a good pair of leather pants that didn't make my legs look bulky,"

"I could get you a good pair! I'm always buying clothes for my brother so I know what kind of clothes would…" Hokuto frowned as her mind snapped back to the real problem at hand, she pointed an accusing finger at the man, "Give me my brother back!"

The Sakurazukamori smirked back at her, not put off in the slightest by the girl's outburst. "What's said is said."

"I didn't mean it!" Hokuto snapped. There was no way she was going to let this man do anything to her little brother.

"Oh, you didn't?" It seemed like he was _enjoying _her frustration.

Hokuto gritted her teeth to keep herself from screaming at the assassin, "Please," she spat out, "Where is he?"

"You know very well where he is." The assassin pulled a packet of cigarettes from one of the pockets of his trench coat, tapped one of the white, paper sticks out of the box and placed it between his lips. He then produced a stylish gold lighter from his coat as well and made to light his cigarette.

"Hey!" In a flash Hokuto's hand snapped out and grabbed the lighter away from the man. "I've got smoke detectors installed here! Do you want to set them off? Besides," she said with a frown, "It's bad for your health."

"Very well." With an over dramatic sigh he put the cigarettes and lighter away, leaving his hands buried deep inside the pockets of his coat, smile never faltering. 

"I've brought you a gift."

"REALLY!" In spite of the situation Hokuto found herself grinning. She loved getting presents, even from bloodthirsty, heartless, assassins. Really, in spite of all the hype and such about the Sakurazukamori, he really wasn't _so_ frightening as she imagined. 

"What is it?" she asked.

The shadows fell over him just so, obscuring the greater part of his face, with only those two predatory, mismatched eyes remaining clearly visible. He slowly brought one of his hands out into the open and there, resting in his curved palm lay…

"It's a crystal, nothing more," His voice was low and ominous, as he gently rolled the delicate glass object around in his grip. The crystal was so beautiful that Hokuto automatically felt a deep longing rise up inside of her as she stared, transfixed, at the way the way it would catch even the tiny amount of light that was in the room and send it out in luminous rays of lilac, silver and rose. The lights danced across the Sakurazukamori's hand, sparkling like stars. 

__

If it looks like that now in the darkness, She mused, _I wonder what it will look like out in the daytime when it catches the light of the sun…_

Then she realized that the Sakurazukamori was still talking, "But if you turn it this way and look into it," His voice had lowered to a whisper, as he tilted his hand at an angle, "It will show you your dreams."

Then the crystal flared brightly and the surface inside was obscured by a flurry of Sakura blossoms. Then the flowers faded away to show the image of Hokuto; as a famous pop idol, a world renowned fashion designer, a mother with a whole brood of adorable green eyed children, at her wedding day… 

She was wearing a beautiful white dress, with a wide hoop style skirt, a million lace ruffles and embroidered with pearls and crystals and feathers. A white top hat was perched jauntily on her head, decorated with pink, white and red roses and topped off with a soft piece of white fabric for a veil. Her husband to be gazed at her with beautiful eyes full of love and admiration. Her grandmother was sitting in the audience, stern face awash with pride. Subaru was sitting beside the old woman, looking angelic in the white tuxedo Hokuto had picked out for him, fiddling nervously with the pink carnation tucked into his front pocket and just beaming at his older sister, happy that he could share the happiest day of her….

Hokuto blinked, _But Subaru's gone now…So how can that dream ever come true? _Almost instantly her desire for the crystal and the power it would give her faded away. She looked up from the bauble in the assassin's hand, "I appreciate what you're offering, but I want my brother back." 

The Sakurazukamori's smile didn't so much as waiver as he clenched his fist tightly around the crystal. When his hand opened again the ball was gone, replaced with a few, scattered Sakura petals. "Hokuto-chan," he purred, "Don't defy me."

Suddenly the previously still air that surrounded them was whipped into a frantic frenzy. More Sakura petals appeared, slicing into Hokuto's skin whenever they made contact. The blood from those shallow cuts ran onto the flowers, darkening their pale pink. The savage petals engulfed her completely; all she could see was a wild pink blur and the reek of their perfume was suffocating her. 

The assassin's voice reached Hokuto as if he was speaking to her from across a great distance.

"Because, you're no match for me."

Oh! Just a quick thankyou to everyone whose reviewed my story so far! They really encourage me to write faster ^_- 

*Also I'm very sorry to those who were looking forward to it but I just couldn't bring myself to write Seishirou into one of Jareth's outfits. I didn't want my parents to walk into my room one morning to find that I'd been killed in my sleep by a ticked off assassin who didn't appreciate being forced into tight leather. 


	4. Chapter 3

Notes: Set in an AU and a crossover (sorta) with the Labyrinth. Disclaimer: I own nothing...Not Tokyo Babylon, which is CLAMP's nor The Labyrinth which belongs to Jim Henson. I've also used some text from a transcript of the Labyrinth which I found at http://www.magitech.com/~cruiser1/labyrnth/movie.htm. The lyrics in the story are also from the movie.  


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Yaaaa! I'd just like to use this space to show my gratitude to everyone who's reviewed so far. And I'm really really sorry its taken me so long to update this.

****

Through Dangers Untold

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CHAPTER 3. (By Twylise)

Ever since that appalling meeting with the Lady Sumeragi, Hokuto's day just seemed to be sliding further and further down a slippery slope of pain and general unpleasantness. The next chapter in her sorry story of ill luck featured her landing face first in the dirt. She lay there stunned for a moment before coming up spitting and sputtering in a kneeling position, reminiscent of the way she had sat before her grandmother.

Except her grandmother was never inclined to wearing designer suits and most certainly wouldn't smirk at Hokuto the way the Sakurazukamori was smirking at her right now. 

"Need a hand?" The man purred, reaching down for the teenager with one hand and brushing some dirt off of his otherwise pristine white shirt with the other.

Despite her better judgment Hokuto allowed the assassin to pull her to her feet. After thanking him curtly she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"_Well_ what?" The Sakurazukamori raised an eyebrow at the pout that was forming on Hokuto's lips.

"Are you going to give me my brother back or not?"

He gave a great overdramatic sigh and once again pulled his cigarettes out of his coat, placing one of the thin white sticks between his lips and lighting up despite the look of obvious distaste that crossed his company's face. "I'm deeply sorry Hokuto-chan," He began in an apologetic voice, "But I cannot just simply _give_ you you're brother back. The system doesn't work like that. Otherwise I would have to constantly deal with people trying to take back my sacrifices and where would that leave the Sakura and I?" 

Hokuto wasn't buying it, "But I didn't intend to wish him away! If you don't want people making those kinds of mistakes than you…you should put a label on the cover of the book saying; 'Beware! Repeating certain lines in this text may result in you handing your siblings or friends over to a blood crazed Magician with a nicotine addiction and a temperamental piece of shrubbery!' It's unfair advertising"

The Sakurazukamori chuckled deeply. "My, my! Feisty aren't me? Really now, wishing family members away to certain death isn't something that people do on a regular basis. Did you're brother do something particularly nasty to you?" He titled his head to one side and watched her amusedly, "Frogs in your bed? Stealing you're dates? Replacing your shampoo with green hair-dye?"

Hokuto sputtered, "_My_ Subaru? Doing things like that? Don't be ridiculous! He wouldn't capture frogs; cruelty to animals and all that, he's to shy to find his _own _dates let alone stealing mine, and about the green hair-dye…" Hokuto reached up and twisted a lock of dark ebony around her index finger, studying it speculatively, "I was actually thinking about dying it that colour the other day, you know, to match my eyes… Do you think it would suit?"

He shook his head, "No I think you're hair's just lovely the way it is. Too much green would look garish and it would certainly cut down on what clothes you could wear without clashing." He smiled at the girl charmingly. 

Hokuto didn't notice the smile as for the first time she took in her surroundings, or rather the lack of them…She and the Sakurazukamori were standing on what appeared to be nothing but night. A deep black void that lay beneath their feet, spread out around them on all sides and soured above them limitlessly. She remembered the name of this 'place' from her book. _Maboroshi. _An illusion. 

"Subaru…" she murmured, "He wouldn't have done any of those things you just mentioned; he's far to kind. How could I have done this too him?" She turned her big pleading green eyes on the assassin, "I need my brother back! Please! You don't want to make a girl cry now would you?"

"A gentleman such as myself?" He exclaimed, face aghast. "Why, to think such a thing!"

"Then you'll let Subaru go?"

Without any warning the friendly facade was gone and Hokuto found herself on the receiving end of a very unnerving, predatory smile. He tapped the end of his cigarette, the grey ash that had been building up over the course of their conversation falling to the ground, and took a slow steady puff, smoke wafting up into both their faces. Hokuto found herself coughing as she took in a mouthful of it. 

"Haven't you been listening to _anything_ I've just been telling you Hokuto-chan? I said I cannot just return Subaru too you."

"But---" Hokuto's voice trailed away as the man raised a hand to silence her. 

"Of course if you were willing to make a _bet _of sorts with me…" 

Hokuto frowned, "What kind of bet?"

Here the assassin's grin grew wider, "Unfortunately being trapped in the underground isn't as exciting and glamorous as it seems; I don't get cable or have the time to go out to the theatre or any such things. Of course I love my job, don't get me wrong…"

He paused in his speech as he waited for Hokuto to finish her coughing fit.

"But at times I have to find other forms of _entertainment._ Now, watch." 

And Hokuto did watch, with amazement as the vast, empty blackness that had been spread out before the two of them shifted. The walls of the ebony dome gradually lowered, like the petals of some tightly closed bud peeling open as it began to flower, in it's wake she saw an endless dusky crimson sky, with a few ashen clouds streaking faintly across it. The remaining darkness rolled out like huge waves of midnight, roaring off in all directions before suddenly flaring into a multitude of colours to swirling and brilliant to watch without making her eyes sting. So she closed them.

And when she opened them again she couldn't help gasping in wonderment. Where once there had been nothing that stretched out into infinity there now was an enormous maze, which reached out just as far as the darkness had. 

__

That's the Labyrinth, there's nothing else it could possibly be. 

The hill on which the two of them were standing gave Hokuto a wonderful vantage point of the maze, which lay a mere hundred metres away. So she could just see what appeared to be it's centre, a lush, green park, filled with row upon row of stately maple trees and in the centre of that, a Sakura tree. Even from this distance Hokuto could tell that this was no ordinary Sakura though, it was without a doubt _the _Sakura that gave the assassin standing beside her his powers.

How could Hokaru tell that this particular cherry blossom was not a regular run of the mill piece of shrubbery but in fact an ancient burial ground and cage for countless souls?

Perhaps it was in the way its branches seemed to be pulled along in a breeze, scattering its pale blossoms across the surrounding labyrinth and causing the tree's limbs to wave as if it were an enraged Hindu deity with a dozen lashing arms, despite the lack of wind. Or maybe it was that ominous aura that surrounded it, an aura so powerful that even a low-level onmyouji like Hokuto good see its power. 

Or maybe it was the fact that it stood, grotesquely larger than the other trees around it. Reaching to a height that could rival Tokyo Tower. 

"Is my brother there?" She asked the assassin.

"Hmmmm?" The dark-haired man followed her line of sight so that his mismatched eyes rested on the gigantic cherry tree as well. "No I've placed him somewhere else for the time being for…" He smirked darkly, "_safekeeping_. But _that,_" Here he gestured at the Sakura, "Is where you will have to meet me if you do want him back; before the time limit of course. I assume you know the rules of my labyrinth?"

Hokuto huffed indignantly, "Of course! After all I have read the book at least seven times. All I have to do is get to the center of the Labyrinth, the Sakura, before my thirteen hours are up and you'll give Subaru back."

"If you knew the way this worked already then why did you bother asking me to just straight out give him back?" 

"Well it didn't hurt to try, did it?" Hokuto snapped. She was suddenly impatient, eager to complete this maze as soon as possible and have Subaru home safe and sound. So he could forgive her. 

"When do I start?"

For what seemed like the thousandth time that day, the Sakurazukamori started to smirk. If he had ever stopped to begin with.

"Right now"

And with that he was gone in a gust of fragrant pink petals. Leaving Hokuto alone to gaze out at the seemingly infinite stone structure. 


End file.
